E-News October 2013

Acadia is in full fall splendor and the weather has been glorious. Sigh. We all know the park is closed and everyone around here is saddened and frustrated by the situation. So what’s the good news?

We’re heartened that so many visitors, residents, businesses, and organizations are coming together in support of and love for Acadia National Park and the surrounding communities. Several petitions are circulating (look for our paper version on the counters of area businesses) and many people are posting online guides to their favorite destinations and activities outside the park. Here’s ours! Keep them coming—we who know this place best know that the communities interwoven with the park are an integral part of the Acadia experience. That’s why Friends of Acadia’s mission includes them:

Friends of Acadia preserves, protects, and promotes stewardship of the outstanding natural beauty, ecological vitality, and distinctive cultural resources of Acadia National Park and surrounding communities for the inspiration and enjoyment of current and future generations.

Thank you for being a part of that mission.

Take Pride in Acadia Day: What’s the secret to keeping Acadia’s world-class carriage road network in perfect condition? In a word: drainage. Water flowing or freezing where it doesn’t belong is the greatest threat to these crushed-stone roads. For 23 years, Friends of Acadia and Acadia National Park have teamed up to rake leaves from miles of carriage road surfaces and culverts and prepare the system for winter.

Join hundreds of volunteers on Saturday, November 2, 2013, 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. It’s a wonderful, festive atmosphere and you’ll get a yummy lunch afterward. In addition, Acadia Quest teams will be recognized at lunch and winners for the Quest grand prize(s) will be drawn.

Park Access During the Shutdown: The Park Service Director in Washington has issued all national parks a memo stating that “Day use visitors will be instructed to leave the park immediately” and “Wherever possible, park roads will be closed and access will be denied” during the government shutdown. We all know that it’s impossible to seal off Acadia’s dozens of trailheads and entry points, but at the same time we ask everyone to recognize the huge strain the shutdown puts on the park’s ability to manage public safety and protect park resources.

Our park rangers are in the terrible position of having to give visitors the worst possible message—that they’re supposed to leave. They’re trying to do this in a polite and sympathetic way, and we hope that visitors will be polite and sympathetic in return. It’s not their fault. Beyond this, rangers are not ticketing pedestrians entering the park, but are issuing warning tickets (and presumably, actual tickets to repeat offenders) to automobiles parked or driving past barriers. Visit our website for updates on the shutdown.

Join the Friends of Acadia Advocacy Network!

“I speak for the trees for the trees have no tongues.” – Dr. Seuss, the Lorax

Likewise, Acadia National Park has no tongue, which is to say, park officials cannot advocate to lawmakers about issues that affect Acadia. That’s why Friends of Acadia has a vigorous advocacy program, to speak up for the park in Washington and Augusta.

Citizen-advocates are invited to join the Advocacy Network, to receive timely, well-researched alerts when their voices are needed, such as our recent alert with talking points for contacting Congress about the government shutdown’s impact on Acadia. Lawmakers want to know how proposed legislation and other actions will affect you and the park you care about, but they don’t know unless you tell them! To join the Friends of Acadia Advocacy Network, contact Stephanie Clement at 207-288-3340 or stephanie@friendsofacadia.org, or go to our website for more information.

Journal Submissions: Our new website has many great hidden features. The Journal Submissions page makes it easy to submit a letter to the editor, photograph, or story idea for the Friends of Acadia Journal. With features about Acadia National Park’s history, resources, and programs, news about Friends of Acadia’s projects and activities, and information about how to get involved, the Journal is a great way to stay connected to Acadia National Park, all year long. The Journal is published three times a year. Membership in Friends of Acadia includes a one-year subscription.

GreatNonprofts Top-Rated List: Can you share a positive story or review of Friends of Acadia’s work? Help us boost our standing in the nonprofit world—review Friends of Acadia for the GreatNonprofits Top-Rated List! This rating helps Friends of Acadia to attract and retain donors, making a real difference in our ability to make a difference for Acadia National Park. We only have until October 31st to achive this rating for 2013, so please review Friends of Acadia now!